Devils Inheritance | Peaky Blinders

08.

A few weeks had gone by, and by a few I mean a lot. Ada was heavily pregnant— the baby was bound to pop out anytime now, yet, Matilda wasn't particularly too bothered about that, for her mind was always elsewhere.

Of course she did care for her sister dearly, as well as her soon-to-be cousin, but her thoughts were clouded, and not by that.

Matilda couldn't stop thinking about that boy from the races. His smile, his appearance, everything about him lingered in her mind. She yearned to meet him again, to talk to him, but she was at a loss on how to find him.

The memories of their slight encounter played like a vivid reel in her thoughts, each moment etched with a longing she couldn't shake off.

Anyways, her thoughts were pushed aside as both herself, and Thomas entered the snug room in the Garrison. Polly, Arthur, and John were already there, looking nervous as ever.

For what she knew, John had hosted this 'family meeting' to inform the others about something in his life, only what he was going to say was most certainly not what they were expecting.

Matilda quickly rushed to take a seat beside her Auntie, whereas Tommy just remained stood, leaning against the pub walls.

"Alright, John. There's only one right... no." Thomas began, raising a hand to brush away the drink his brother was offering him. "There's only one man guarding the house, what's troubling you."

Before speaking, John let out a cough, and that alone made Matilda aware that he was nervous. Though, that only heightened her own worries. "Right. Polly, you know what it's been like since Martha died."

"God takes the best first," Aunt Poll replied, her tone soft. She reached a hand out and placed it over her nephews to reassure him that everything was okay.

Martha had been his wife before she passed away from some illness. They had four kids together, yet now John was left to care for them alone.

Matilda was aware that he had been struggling, trying to navigate the challenges of raising his children on his own after Martha's untimely death.

"The truth is," John continued, nothing but concern laced in his voice. "My kids have been running bloody rings around me. Running barefoot with the dogs until all hours."

Matilda watched as Tommy tried not to laugh, yet that only caused her to let out a chuckle of her own. "Pol, give him ten bob, some shoes. Is that it, John?" One of the brothers mocked.

"Tommy, we'd be better doing this without you." The older woman argued. She was frustrated, and she too could tell the poor man was struggling. Thomas sighed, finally keeping quiet. "Now what's your point?"

"What the kids need... is a mother." John said, his eyes pointing downwards. He never once looked up to meet anyone's gaze, his nerves were too high. "So that's why i'm getting married."

Matilda gasped, "married?!" She shouted, before slapping a hand over her mouth. One reason being from utter shock, and the other being that her words came out far louder than she had intended. "Who the bloody hell to?"

"Does this poor girl know you're going to marry her? Or are you just going to spring it on her all of a sudden?" Polly asked sensibly, knowing the ways of the peaky blinders.

Finally, John looked up to look at his Aunt. "I've already proposed and she said yes."

Wow, he really did have this all planned out, Matilda thought to herself.

In all honesty, she was quite proud of her brother. For if it had been Arthur, the best any woman was going to get was a quick 'marry me,' when drunk, and a shot of whisky or something.